Congratulations and a heartfelt thank you to Barb Hess, who is retiring from Brooks Resources after 42 years! She has been a highly valued member of our team, and while we are happy for her, we are all sad to see her go. Her office is right at the top of the stairs at our headquarters – the perfect spot for greeting everyone with her warm smile and sparkle in her eye. She will be greatly missed!
Mike Hollern, Chairman of Brooks Resources, said, “The Board of Directors hereby recognizes the great contributions that Barbara Hess has made to the Company for forty-two years. She has been a dedicated and valued employee as Corporate Secretary, Director of Human Resources and Manager of our Corporate Contributions programs. She has represented the company with grace and distinction and has always made us proud. We wish her good health, happiness and great memories from a job well-done as she begins a well-deserved retirement.”
Barb is the Director of Human Resources and Charitable Contributions Administrator and has been handling HR compliance issues and changes – she’s the go-to person on the team for any employee benefits questions, and other inquiries on a daily basis. She is great at maintaining relationships with Brooks’ local nonprofit partners, both administratively and on a personal level. She also administers the company’s property and casualty insurance programs, and assists the Finance Department with monthly accounting procedures and acts as Corporate Secretary.
Barb is a past president of the City Club of Central Oregon and the Central Oregon chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management. She was awarded COSHRM’s HR Professional of the Year award in 2015 and 2006 and is a Leadership Bend alumna, Class of 2002.
Replacing Barb leading the Contributions Committee will be Christi Haynes. Starting immediately, those with contributions inquiries may email [email protected].
When asked what she is most passionate about in her job, Barb says being part of the team that is making a difference in the Bend community. She said she loves being a part of the legacy Brooks Resources is leaving in Central Oregon. When asked who inspires her, we love the answer Barb gave: “As I get older, I try to absorb something noble from everyone I meet. The fact that someone takes the time to reach out to me makes me feel valued.”
Barb said the thing she’ll miss the most about working for Brooks Resources is the team she works with everyday, and the connection to the community that she interacts with as a part of her role.
As she looks ahead to retirement, she said she has put spending a lot of time in Texas to visit grandkids at the top of her list, alongside reading, hiking, driving to new places in their RV, and possibly learning how to watercolor paint. She will spend as much time as possible with her family, which includes her husband Steve, their son and daughter in law Chris and Amie along with their daughter, and their son and daughter in law Travis and Anna and their three children.